


A Holly Jolly Christmas

by operatorhappypills



Category: Masters of Sex
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-03
Updated: 2017-10-03
Packaged: 2019-01-01 02:36:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12146805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/operatorhappypills/pseuds/operatorhappypills
Summary: It's an awkward as hell Christmas at the Masters'.





	A Holly Jolly Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> I'm keeping this as a one-shot for now, but I may come back to it later.

"I haven't told Bill yet, but I'm pregnant. I just found out last week."  
  


Virginia's hand hesitates in scrubbing a plate and nearly drops it into the kitchen sink below. She has no explanation as to why her stomach drops or why she feels the pecan pie she just ate making its way back up her esophagus.  
  


"You're surprised," Libby remarks.  
  


Virginia's mouth opens to say "congratulations", but the word gets stuck in her throat behind the pecan pie. Instead, she manages a huff of breath that unintentionally sounds like a scoff.

  
The two women look at each other and Libby smiles complacently, "I suppose that's exactly like Bill to not tell you I was undergoing fertility treatments again."  
  
  
Virginia detects a hint of gloating from Libby, for the first time ever.  
  


Virginia can only offer, "I just thought you were both happy with Johnny and Jenny."  
  


"We are."  
  


Virginia looks through the window in front of her and sees Bill retrieving more firewood from outside, piling a few logs in his arms. Their eyes meet and the corner of Bill's lips twitch upward. Gene Autry's singing can still be heard from the turntable and to Virginia's ears, the music is sickeningly sweet.  
  
  
"But I always wanted a big family. And after that whole Russian business in October, I decided life was too short to not follow your dreams."  
  
  
Libby's voice deflates with those last words, suddenly sad, and Virginia's stomach turns again; she hadn't realized that by inviting Bill to spend the night, she deprived Libby of something. The moment passes and Libby tries to grab the plate out of Virginia's hand.  
  
  
"Virginia, please, I can get those. It's unseemly for a host to let their guests do the dishes."  
  
  
"Lib, no. You graciously opened your home to my children and me for Christmas dinner. Really, it's the least I can do." Virginia vigorously scours the plate, as if washing food off a dish can be atonement. Libby grabs a cigarette out of the pack on the counter, putting it to her lips, before lighting it. Virginia, meanwhile, has nothing to say as Libby takes the first drag and blows smoke out.  
  
  
"I'm hoping for another boy. I think Bill would like that. I want to give him Bill's name, but we can't have another Bill or even a Will, so I was thinking we could call him by his middle name: Howie. Isn't that precious?"  
  
  
Between Libby's discussion of children names, and Essie's curiously cold stare when she first arrived and kissed Libby and the children on their cheeks, Virginia wishes she'd rather not have come at all. Nevertheless, she does her best to keep chatting with Libby, rather than going in the living room with Essie and all of the children (who were all too eagerly focused on their Christmas gifts).  
  
  
"It is. But isn't it rather unusual to give a second son the father's name?" Virginia thinks of Bill and his brother, and how Bill uses the name Francis as his alias. He never said it aloud, but Virginia always suspected he was somehow jealous of his brother for that.  
  
  
Libby taps her cigarette on the ashtray, "Actually it was always the plan to name John after Bill but I just loved that name and Bill wasn't there to disagree with me, so I'm trying to make it up to him now."  
  
  
Another surge of guilt swells up in Virginia as she remembers why Bill wasn't present for John's birth.  
  
  
"Ah. Well, congratulations. I'm happy for you." Virginia doesn't look up, but she can feel Libby staring at her, searching her face, and making her feel scrutinized as she finishes drying the last plate.  
  
  
As Virginia turns and moves to start putting the leftover food in Tupperware, Libby calls out, "Gini..." and she freezes. But Libby's voice is softer, more vulnerable, and when Virginia finally turns and faces her, Virginia can't help but feel pity for her.  
  
  
"I made the right choice in marrying Bill, didn't I?" Libby's blue eyes shine with genuine emotion and the question makes Virginia wince.  
  
  
Her feet seem to shift involuntarily and she can only shrug her shoulders before saying, "Geez, Lib, how can I answer that?"  
  
  
Libby nods reflectively before beginning to put the food away herself and Virginia takes the opportunity to look at her watch.  
  
  
"Oh, it's getting late. I have to bring the kids back to George's before Audrey starts yapping in his ear about how  _ **I**_   am irresponsible with their schedule."  
  
  
"You're leaving? I just put more firewood in and stoked the fire. Why don't you stay for another cup of coffee?" Bill says, appearing in the kitchen, and gesturing to the fireplace behind him with his hand.  
  
  
Virginia glances at Libby and replies, "I'd love to but I can't. Everything was lovely though, thank you."  
  
  
Bill is visibly disappointed, and when Virginia kisses his cheek goodbye, she does it as chastely as possible. It's not the first time that Virginia has ever wondered if Libby, or even Essie, knew about the nature of their relationship. The exchange with Libby was uncomfortable but it didn't seem as if she were trying to elicit a confession from her.  
  
  
_I'm her only friend_ , Virginia thinks sadly.  
  
  
Virginia spots a woodchip, stuck in the fabric of Bill's navy blue sweater and she has to resist the urge to remove it in front of Libby.  
  
  
She points at Bill's stomach, "Bill, you have a woodchip on you."  
  
  
"Oh." Bill looks down and sheepishly plucks it out with his fingers.  
  
  
There's a pregnant pause between the three and Gene Autry is still singing about Frosty the Snowman in the background. Finally, Libby thanks Virginia for coming and they also exchange kisses on the cheek.  
  
  
Johnny trods into the kitchen, Etch a Sketch in hand, and proclaiming, "Mom, the dial is broken and it won't draw. I tried getting grandma to help but she couldn't fix it."  
  
  
Libby places her cigarette back in her mouth and grabs the toy from Johnny, rolling the dial back and forth to no avail.  
  
  
"You know, I got Tessa one of those for Christmas when they first came out and she never touched it. Maybe next time I come over, I can bring it for you." Virginia smiles at him.  
  
  
Johnny averts his gaze from Virginia down to the ground and mumbles, "I'd like that. Thank you, Aunt Gini." before scurrying away back towards the living room.  
  
  
Virginia chuckles, "When did he get so shy?"  
  
  
Libby twists her cigarette out in the ashtray while rolling her eyes, "He's sweet on you. It'll pass."  
  
  
Virginia awkwardly scratches her hand, not daring to look at Bill. Desperate to finally leave, Virginia gathers her not-so-little kids, says more farewells and thank-you's, and finally leaves.  
  
  
She asks Henry and Tessa if they had a good time on the drive home, but doesn't really hear their answers and that night, she dreams about a little boy with Bill's eyes and jaw who calls her mom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When writing this I thought of what Bill said to Virginia in the coat closet in season 3, about how she hates her self. What better way to explain the start of self-loathing than this?


End file.
